A Blog By Jay Acunzo

If you were fortunate, your parents worked their butts off just to name you, then to raise you so your name became associated with positive things. When others hear your name - or Google search it, or Facebook it, or Tweet it, or text it, or email it, or whatever it - you want them thinking only good thoughts:

She’s a great kid - really hard worker.

She lights up a room with her charm and confidence.

She’s so kind to others.

She’s sharp as a tack - a future CEO.

So don’t be a dummy and let somebody else take your name online.

As you follow the First Five Online Steps to set up that digital resume, those social network profiles that easily reveal exactly what you want others to see when you’re being Googled, always, always, always make sure your profile can be easily reached using your name somewhere in the URL. For instance, my LinkedIn profile is simply linkedin.com/in/jayacunzo.

This is one of the quickest, easiest but most important things you can do - so do it. Seriously. Read this post, then go do it right away.

For Google+, there’s no native (i.e. Google-created) way to claim your name. The URL to your profile ends up like a bunch of goop:

https://plus.google.com/u/0/104003218615150837061/posts

So here are a few services that will help you claim a shorter URL that contains your name (or any nickname you choose).

Pick one. Do it now. Help people find you easily when you’re rich and famous (or applying for a job…or going on a date…etc.). Shout out to Johnathan Chung for helping me compile this list.

• gplus.to - Probably the most widely used. It also has rankings of other profiles on Google+, in case you wanted to see how others did it.
• plus.ly - Short and sweet.
• plusya.com - Allows you to create the shorter URL with an added benefit of viewing your profile’s traffic (it will request access to your profile information before you can see this - a standard procedure for any online app).
• gplus.is - lesser used but easy to understand where the URL will direct: Google+.

For more tips on using the young social network by Google, shoot me a note and/or follow me (“circle” me) here: gplus.to/jayzo

You only have one name. Make sure you own it and help others associate it with exactly the traits you want associated with your name.